अश्वमेधे निवृत्ते तु सुरास् तेभ्यो वरान् ददुः स्नात्वा कृतार्था गङ्गायां ततस् ते दिवम् आक्रमन्
When the Aśvamedha was completed, the gods granted boons to them; having bathed in the Gaṅgā, fulfilled, they then ascended to heaven.
ततः प्रभृति तत्रासंस् तीर्थानि दश पञ्च च सहस्राणि शतान्य् अष्टाव् उभयोर् अपि तीरयोः तेषु स्नानं च दानं च ह्य् अतीव फलदं विदुः
From that time, there have been fifteen thousand and eight hundred tīrthas at both tīrthas; bathing and giving there are known to yield great fruit.
तपोवनम् इति ख्यातं नन्दिनीसंगमं तथा सिद्धेश्वरं तत्र तीर्थं गौतम्या दक्षिणे तटे
The place known as Tapovana, the confluence of the Nandinī, and Siddheśvara are there; the tīrtha of Gautamī is on the southern bank.
शार्दूलं चेति विख्यातं तेषां वृत्तम् इदं शृणु यस्याकर्णनमात्रेण सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
Śārdūla is also renowned; listen to their story, by hearing which alone one is freed from all sins.
अग्निर् होता पुरा त्व् आसीद् देवानां हव्यवाहनः भार्यां प्राप्तो दक्षसुतां स्वाहानाम्नीं सुरूपिणीम्
In ancient times, Agni was the hotṛ, the carrier of oblations for the gods; he obtained as wife the beautiful Svāhā, daughter of Dakṣa.
सानपत्या पुरा चासीत् पुत्रार्थं तप आविशत् तपश् चरन्तीं विपुलं तोषयन्तीं हुताशनम् स भर्ता हुतभुक् प्राह भार्यां स्वाहाम् अनिन्दिताम्
She was once childless and undertook austerities for a son; as she performed great penance, pleasing the fire-god, her husband, the blameless Svāhā was addressed by him.
अपत्यानि भविष्यन्ति मा तपः कुरु शोभने
Children will be born; do not perform austerities, O beautiful one.
एतच् छ्रुत्वा भर्तृवाक्यं निवृत्ता तपसो ऽभवत् स्त्रीणाम् अभीष्टदं नान्यद् भर्तृवाक्यं विना क्वचित्
Hearing her husband's words, she ceased her penance; for women, nothing else is desirable apart from their husband's word.
ततः कतिपये काले तारकाद् भय आगते अनुत्पन्ने कार्त्तिकेये चिरकालरहोगते
Then, after some time, when fear from Tāraka arose, and Kārttikeya had not yet been born, with a long time having passed in secrecy—
महेश्वरे भवान्या च त्रस्ता देवाः समागताः देवानां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थम् अग्निं प्रोचुर् दिवौकसः
The gods, frightened of Maheśvara and Bhavānī, assembled; for the accomplishment of the gods' purpose, the celestials addressed Agni.
देव गच्छ महाभाग शंभुं त्रैलोक्यपूजितम् तारकाद् भयम् उत्पन्नं शंभवे त्वं निवेदय
O illustrious one, go to Śaṃbhu, who is worshipped by the three worlds; inform Śaṃbhu of the fear that has arisen from Tāraka.
न गन्तव्यं तत्र देशे दंपत्योः स्थितयो रहः सामान्यमात्रतो न्यायः किं पुनः शूलपाणिनि
It is not proper to go to that place where a husband and wife are alone; even for ordinary people this is the rule—how much more so for the wielder of the trident.
एकान्तस्थितयोः स्वैरं जल्पतोर् यः सरागयोः दंपत्योः शृणुयाद् वाक्यं निरयात् तस्य नोद्धृतिः
If one listens to the words of a passionate couple conversing privately, there is no deliverance from hell for that person.
स स्वाम्य् अखिललोकानां महाकालस् त्रिशूलवान् निरीक्षणीयः केन स्याद् भवान्या रहसि स्थितः
He is the lord of all worlds, the great Kāla, bearer of the trident—by whom could he be observed while dwelling in privacy with Bhavānī?
महाभये चानुगते न्यायः को ऽन्व् अत्र वर्ण्यते तारकाद् भय उत्पन्ने गच्छ त्वं तारको भवान्
And when great danger has come, what rule can be described here? Since fear has arisen from Tāraka, go—you must become Tāraka.
महाभयाब्धौ साधूनां यत् परार्थाय जीवितम् रूपेणान्येन वा गच्छ वाचं वद यथा तथा
When the ocean of great fear arises for the good, one’s life should be given for the sake of others; go, take another form or speak as is fitting.
विश्राव्य देववचनं शंभुम् आगच्छ सत्वरः ततो दास्यामहे पूजाम् उभयोर् लोकयोः कवे
After conveying the words of the gods, return quickly to Śaṃbhu; then, O sage, we shall offer worship in both worlds.
शुको भूत्वा जगामाशु देववाक्याद् धुताशनः यत्रासीज् जगतां नाथो रममाणस् तदोमया
Having become a parrot, Dhūtaśana swiftly went by the command of the gods to where the Lord of the worlds was enjoying himself with Umā.
स भीतवद् अथ प्रायाच् छुको भूत्वा तदानलः नाशकद् द्वारदेशे तु प्रवेष्टुं हव्यवाहनः
Then, having become a parrot, that fire-god approached in fear, but Havyavāhana could not enter through the doorway.
ततो गवाक्षदेशे तु तस्थौ धुन्वन्न् अधोमुखः तं दृष्ट्वा प्रहसञ् शंभुर् उमां प्राह रहोगतः
So he stood at the window, bowing his head and trembling; seeing him, Śaṃbhu laughed and spoke to Umā in private.
पश्य देवि शुकं प्राप्तं देववाक्याद् धुताशनम्
Look, O goddess, a parrot has come, Dhūtaśana, by the command of the gods.
लज्जिता चावदद् देवम् अलं देवेति पार्वती पुरश्चरन्तं देवेशो ह्य् अग्निं तं द्विजरूपिणम्
Ashamed, Pārvatī said to the god, 'Enough, O Lord.' The Lord of the gods then addressed Agni, who had taken the form of a twice-born.
आहूय बहुशश् चापि ज्ञातो ऽस्य् अग्ने ऽत्र मा वद विदारयस्व स्वमुखं गृहाणेदं नयस्व तत्
Calling him repeatedly, he recognized Agni and said, 'Do not speak here; open your mouth, receive this, and carry it away.'
इत्य् उक्त्वा तस्य चास्ये ऽग्ने रेतः स प्राक्षिपद् बहु रेतोगर्भस् तदा चाग्निर् गन्तुं नैव च शक्तवान्
Having said this, he cast his seed into Agni’s mouth; filled with the seed, Agni was then unable to depart.
सुरनद्यास् ततस् तीरं श्रान्तो ऽग्निर् उपतस्थिवान् कृत्तिकासु च तद् रेतः प्रक्षेपात् कार्त्तिको ऽभवत्
Then, weary, Agni approached the bank of the celestial river; by casting that seed into the Kṛttikās, Kārttikeya was born.
अवशिष्टं च यत् किंचिद् अग्नेर् देहे च शांभवम् तद् एव रेतो वह्निस् तु स्वभार्यायां द्विधाक्षिपत्
Whatever remained of Śaṃbhu’s seed in Agni’s body, that very seed Agni cast into his own wife in two parts.
स्वाहायां प्रियभूतायां पुत्रार्थिन्यां विशेषतः पुरा साश्वासिता तेन संततिस् ते भविष्यति
Into Svāhā, who was dear to him and especially desirous of a son, he placed it; she was comforted by him, and your lineage will arise from her.
तद् वह्निनाथ संस्मृत्य तत् क्षिप्तं शांभवं महः तद् अग्ने रेतसस् तस्यां जज्ञे मिथुनम् उत्तमम्
Then, recalling this, Agni cast the Śaṃbhu’s great energy; from Agni’s seed in her, a supreme pair was born.
सुवर्णश् च सुवर्णा च रूपेणाप्रतिमं भुवि अग्नेः प्रीतिकरं नित्यं लोकानां प्रीतिवर्धनम्
Suvarṇa and Suvarṇā, unmatched in form upon the earth, ever bring delight to Agni and continually increase the joy of all worlds.
अग्निः प्रीत्या सुवर्णां तां प्रादाद् धर्माय धीमते सुवर्णस्याथ पुत्रस्य संकल्पाम् अकरोत् प्रियाम् एवं पुत्रस्य पुत्र्याश् च विवाहम् अकरोत् कविः
With affection, Agni gave Suvarṇā to the wise one for the sake of righteousness; then, for Suvarṇa’s son, he made a cherished resolve, and thus the sage arranged the marriage of the son and daughter.